*The content shared in this episode includes cannabis education and is intended for an adult audience.

Serena Donovan has been married to her husband, Ian Donovan, since 2009, where they farm in Mossleigh, Alberta. Over the years, the blended family of 5 children has grown to include significant others and 5 grandchildren. Serena has been a proud farmer’s wife, offering assistance on the farm where needed in the busy times of seeding and harvest and supporting her husband in all areas of farming. In 2019, Serena began building her indoor cannabis facility, bringing farming indoors all year long. In February 2020, Because You Cann was the 2nd micro cultivation license issued in Alberta by Health Canada and the 25th in the nation. She is proud to have her daughter and son-in-law involved in the cannabis cultivation/processing facility, working with their team of local women from the area.

In 2022, Serena expanded her cannabis businesses to include the MaryJane Manor, the 1st Cannabis Boutique Hotel in Canada. Having experienced judgement surrounding the stigma of cannabis and being a medical cannabis patient, she built out the hotel with the purpose of reducing the occurrence of negative stigma others may face in their cannabis consumption. The MaryJane Manor focuses on Serena’s passion for cannabis education, health & wellness and empowering women in a judgement-free zone. The MaryJane Manor is open to the public and available for retreats, corporate functions, cannabis weddings and educational programs.

Serena opened the Because You Cann Cannabis dispensary, where she sells her cannabis products grown a few miles up the road. She is very thankful that her stepsons have stepped up to help run the dispensary, bringing multiple family members into multiple roles in her businesses.

Through the various businesses Serena has built, she is able to offer tours of the cannabis facility and has products for purchase at the dispensary, which has fully integrated her businesses.

Cannabis may be a very untraditional crop to many, but Serena is a proud farmer!

THIS WEEK’S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY:

Today’s rapid-fire segment is brought to by FCC.

FCC empowers the next generation to find their place in the Canadian agriculture industry with financing, advisory services, transition resources and networking opportunities. If you’re under 40, this is the opportunity you’ve been looking for. Learn more at fcc.ca/next-generation

Calling all new and emerging content creators in BC and Alberta! In case you haven’t heard of STORYHIVE, they’ve been supporting storytellers in Western Canada since 2013. This year, they’re celebrating their 10th anniversary with their biggest edition yet. The STORYHIVE Anniversary Documentary Edition is funding 80 short documentaries on any local story you are passionate about! You could get $20,000 in production funding, training and mentorship and distribution on TELUS Optik TV and Stream+.

If you live in BC or Alberta and you have an idea for a short documentary, now is the time to send in your pitch!

Send in your application by February 28 at STORYHIVE.com/apply. Your Story, Your Narrative.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW

Serena Donovan  Website | Facebook | Because You Cann Instagram | MaryJane Manor Instagram

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